Tuesday, September 18, 2007

AAMU Bulldogs not running away from a problem


By REGGIE BENSON, Huntsville Times

A&M is 3-0 and ranked but stopping the run is a concern

Alabama A&M always has prided itself on stopping opposing teams from running the football. In 2000, the Bulldogs led the nation in rushing defense, allowing a paltry 30 yards per game, and they have led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in that category over the last several years in addition to being ranked nationally.

This season, however, defensive coordinator Brawnski Towns figured A&M would have some problems stopping the run. After all, the Bulldogs lost All-SWAC defensive tackle Kevin Lockhart, a four-year starter. Justin Harper, a starter last season, had surgery during preseason practice on his left thumb and hasn't returned to form yet.

Even so, Towns didn't expect the Bulldogs (3-0 overall, 1-0 SWAC, ranked 23rd by Sports Network FCS poll, 25th in the coaches poll) to have as many problems as they have had through the first three games.

Tennessee State, led by Javarris Williams' 123 yards on 20 carries, rushed for 206 yards against A&M, while Mississippi Valley State, led by Ronald Brewer's 146 yards on 21 carries, finished with 161 yards on the ground.

Through three games, A&M is allowing 121.7 yards rushing per game and has allowed two backs to top the 100-yard mark. Last season, the Bulldogs allowed 113.8 yards per game and allowed only four 100-yard rushers.

What's the problem? Here is Towns' assessment:

"We've got some young linemen in there that really don't understand our gap control principles," said Towns, whose unit includes previously seldom-used juniors Whitney Garrett and David Winston, sophomore Renaldo Askew and freshman Frank Kearse.

"Their job is to stay in their gaps with their outside arm free and make some plays. That didn't happen much against Tennessee State or Mississippi Valley and if we're going to be the kind of defensive football team we want to be, we've got to get that corrected."

As a result, when the Bulldogs begin preparations this afternoon for Saturday's SWAC showdown with Grambling, those fundamentals will be a major part of practice.

Grambling running back Frank Warren had more than 130 yards rushing in the season opener against Alcorn State. If A&M is to come away with a win, Towns and company will have to slow Warren down.

"We're going to work on that a lot this week to make sure we stay in our gaps," Towns said. "I was surprised Mississippi Valley State was able to run the ball on us like that. Our strong safeties and will linebackers missed some tackles that enabled them to get some more yards.

"We did a bad job of tackling and a few times we were lined up wrong. In fact, we were lined up wrong right before halftime and that allowed them to score."

While Towns appeared to be concerned with A&M's inability to stop the run in two of its first three games, coach Anthony Jones wasn't as stressed.

"People are opting to run the ball against us because when we get them in passing situations because we can get after the quarterback," Jones said.

"They're trying to run the ball to slow down our pass rush. Nobody has been able to beat us just running the football, so I'm really not concerned with where we are in terms of rushing defense because it's misleading."

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